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BYLAWS OF THE SOUTHERN REGIONAL COUNCIL ON STATISTICS

(Revised and approved October 4, 2014)

I. Mission of Southern Regional Council on Statistics (SRCOS)

The mission of SRCOS is to promote the improvement of post secondary education in statistical science, assist in the development of high quality statistics instruction in elementary and high schools, and promulgate educational activities which improve the quality of statistical practices.

II. Membership and Participation

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  1. The SRCOS will consist of representatives from member institutions which are parties to the Memorandum of Agreement in force. Member institutions may have multiple memberships and representatives but only if they are from separate departments or units and they each pay SRCOS membership dues.

B. Any institution of higher education in the Southern Region1 which has an active program in a

Statistical Sciences area, or which offers a program in other fields such as Agriculture,

Business Administration, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine, Operation Research, etc.,

where training in Statistical Sciences constitutes a major emphasis, is eligible for

membership in the SRCOS.

C. Any institution desiring to become a member of the SRCOS should petition for membership

by letter to the president of SRCOS. A brief description of the institution's degree program and/or resources in statistical methodology, research or other evidence to support the petition should be included. Upon validation of its credentials by the SRCOS, the petitioning party will be asked to sign the current Memorandum of Agreement and to appoint a representative to the SRCOS.

D. A continuing criterion for membership shall be the active interest of each institution

in the SRCOS and in promoting education, research, and applications in Statistical Sciences in the Southern Region. Member institutions will pay a membership fee annually to support the activities of the SRCOS. It is the responsibility of the official representative of the institution to see that this fee is paid prior to the annual business meeting. Annual membership dues will be set each year at the annual business meeting.

E. Any institution with interests in Statistics is welcome to send a representative to participate

in appropriate programs or observe appropriate meetings of the SRCOS. Such participation

is particularly encouraged for institutions who are planning future degree programs and

would benefit from association with the SRCOS as preparation for establishing

a program.

F. Any institution withdrawing from the Memorandum of Agreement will automatically lose

membership in the SRCOS but may continue in an observer capacity.

FOOTNOTE

  1. The seventeen states which are defined to be in the Southern Region by SRCOS are: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

III. Organization and Operation

  1. The appropriate administrative officer of each member institution will transmit the name of its representative in a letter to the President of SRCOS. Each institutional representative will serve continuously as a member of the SRCOS until such time as a new representative is designated. Representatives may invite additional (nonvoting) participants from their institutions and may officially assign their vote to one of them in the event of their own absence. Multiple representatives from the same institution are acceptable but they must be from different units or departments.

B. Member institutions will be responsible for expenses incurred by their representatives in attending the annual business meeting of SRCOS.

C. The SRCOS will elect a president, a presidentelect, a secretary, and a treasurer in odd numbered years to serve twoyear terms. The president will be responsible for calling and conducting meetings and will establish such committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the business of the SRCOS. The secretary will be responsible for taking and disseminating minutes of the business meetings and maintaining an accurate, uptodate roster of member institutions and representatives. The treasurer will be responsible for the safekeeping and investment of SRCOS funds, in accordance with instructions from the SRCOS, and for keeping records of fiscal activities of the SRCOS. The president, presidentelect, secretary, and treasurer will form the executive committee which will act for and conduct the business of the SRCOS during the intervals between meetings of the SRCOS. Vacancies in elected offices shall be filled by election at the next business meeting.

D. The SRCOS will meet annually, with additional meetings of the SRCOS or committees as necessary. In each case a simple majority will constitute a quorum.

E. Specific activities of the SRCOS which require institutional participation and support will be submitted to the member institutions to determine whether they wish to participate in and support such activities.

F. Funds to support activities sponsored by the SRCOS will come from (1) membership fees,

(2) member institutions agreeing to provide additional support for specific activities, and (3) outside sources from whom funds might be obtained for specific activities.

G. Upon the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. The assets shall be distributed to the American Statistical Association, or any successor organization, provided that it satisfies this condition at the time of dissolution.

H. The tax year for this organization is from January 1 through December 31.

IV. Functions

The SRCOS will develop programs of action which, in its judgment, will assist in the achievement of its purpose. Programs will be selected and designed by the SRCOS in response to important educational and research issues which in the judgement of the SRCOS can be most effectively resolved by cooperative action on the part of the Statistics community at large.

For each program undertaken, the SRCOS or a designated committee will study the project, make recommendations for action, method of implementation, funding, continuation, etc., and to the extent needed in cooperative action, will coordinate and supervise the execution of the project.

V. Procedure for Amendment

Proposals for amending these ByLaws must be submitted in writing to the membership of the SRCOS at least one month prior to that annual meeting at which a vote is to be called. A twothirds majority of the members present will be required to enact the amendment.

Alternatively, proposals for amending these By-Laws between annual business meetings can be accomplished through e-mail correspondence and a vote on the amendment. A two-thirds majority of the members will be required to enact the amendment via e-mail voting.